This is a book that consists entirely of stories. They are in the forms of various characters, of other well-known books, of famous authors; and they are all intertwined. This is also a book that does character development like no other; but then again, I should not have doubted Gabrielle Zevin's abilities at all. I haven't read a book by Zevin since I was 13 or 14, but after reading "The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry," I want to reread everything she's ever written.
The story is about Ajay "AJ" Fikry, a young in age but old in countenance bookstore owner, who is mourning the recent death of his wife. His bookstore is simultaneously experiencing one of the worst sales in history, most nights he has to get drunk in order to sleep, and his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. On the small island he lives on, Alice, everything seems to be closing in on him—even his ex-sister-in-law, Ismay, only keeps tabs on him out of respect for her late sister. There are two separate people who change his life drastically, in different ways: Amelia, a sales rep for a publishing house; and Maya, a 2 year-old baby who was left in the store by a young mother.
One of the most lovable qualities about this book is that there are no petty plot twists or cliff-hangers. This book is quietly wonderful, concerning itself mainly with the role of stories, words and books in one's life. As a book-lover myself, this novel spoke to me deeply. Each chapter begins with a couple paragraphs written from AJ to Maya about a certain short story or book, so that you get a sense that these are snippets from a little project that he's been compiling for her. Books and reading change all of the characters one way or another. There is Ismay, the ex-sister-in-law, who is married to a writer of beautiful novels with a bad heart. There is Police Chief Lambiase, who develops a love for Ismay and detective crime fiction. There is Nic, the late wife of AJ. Even though when the novel beings, she is dead, her person and past play a large role in AJ and Ismay's lives. The bookstore is a central place in each of these characters lives, as a home, a meeting place and even a mourning place.
One aspect that was surprisingly pleasant was that the book covers a fairly large expanse of time, allowing us to really see developments in the characters' personalities and lives. Watching AJ slowly change and emotionally mature as he eases into the role of adoptive father to the 2 year-old baby left in his store was remarkable. He delves into his work at the bookstore with a new zeal, spurred by the need to support his daughter. He learns to take care of himself for her sake, betters his relationship with Ismay, expands the selections in his bookstore, becomes less judgmental and more of a friend to the community. He hosts book clubs for mothers and for cops, he enrolls his daughter in dance classes while endeavoring to turn her into the most well-read "nerd" he can. His bookstore might become a meeting place for old and new book-lovers, but a lot of his transformation centers around pulling himself together for this child that has mysteriously dropped into his life. In many ways, Maya's helplessness forces him to come to terms with Nic's death and move on in his life.
Amelia was another fun character to read. A quirky, relatable, young sales rep, she first connects with AJ after the previous rep handling the Island Books account passes away. A couple years later, he pays more attention to her book recommendations and orders more and more from her publishing house. This leads to a friendship that grows into a romance in the most wonderfully gradual manner.
"The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry" may not be full of plot twists, but it was a page-turner in its own way. Even seemingly minor, side characters (Ismay, Lambiase) have depth and history to them. I would argue that Zevin's novel is full of a different kind of cliff-hanger. Her book explores emotion, death, love, growth and of course, stories. Anyone who loves to read should pick this book up—I was definitely shedding some tears at the end, and I'll definitely be reading it again.
